The world's first comprehensive law governing the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence was formally adopted by the Europeans in 2024 and began taking effect later that year. However, key provisions of the AI Act may be put on hold by the European Commission amid mounting pressure from Big Tech and the Trump administration. This all comes as the West fights to stay technologically relevant in the world, fracturing into two, as China and the East develop and deploy AI of their own. 

Financial Times reporter Barbara Moens writes that the European Commission is preparing to pause parts of the AI Act as part of a new "simplification package" set to be unveiled on November 19. The move to recalibrate some of the world's strictest AI regulations follows intense lobbying from Big Tech and mounting pressure from the Trump administration.

Under the existing framework designed to promote safe, transparent, traceable, and non-discriminatory AI systems, some of the world's toughest rules, particularly those governing "high-risk" AI applications affecting safety and fundamental rights, won't take effect until August 2026. Under the draft proposal, companies that breach these provisions could receive a one-year grace period, pushing enforcement back to 2027. The Commission also plans to delay fines for transparency violations until August 2027, giving firms additional time to comply.

"The draft also looks to make the compliance burden for companies easier and centralise enforcement through its own AI office," FT's Moens noted in the report.

The plan to delay some of the AI Act could improve competitiveness against companies working on the AI application layer to deploy systems and compete against China more effectively. 

She also noted, "A number of companies, including Facebook and Instagram owner Meta, have warned that the EU's approach to regulating AI risks cutting the continent off from accessing cutting-edge services." 

If the AI Act is partially delayed, it could ease concerns that Europe's weird over regulatory obsession is crushing innovation and putting the continent at a disadvantage in the global AI race. And if European leaders are finally willing to roll back overreaching policies, they should also reconsider their disastrous green globalist agenda that has already crippled the continent into submission.